7. Jack Linehan & Joe Howdyshell: Happiness Increases Time to Exhaustion

How do you train like an elite skimo athlete without losing yourself in the process? In this episode of SKIMO Gold, host Travis Macy sits down with longtime friends and legends of the endurance world—athlete Jack Linehan and coach Joe Howdyshell—for a conversation that’s as thoughtful as it is informative.

Jack shares what it’s like training in Chamonix (yes, carbs and croissants are involved), laying out a high-performance weekly routine that includes 10–14 hours of aerobic work, 6–7 hours of strength, and another 6–7 of mobility and PT. Joe, founder of Summit Endurance Academy, breaks down his coaching philosophy, with a focus on feel-first training, mood tracking, and what he calls the “internal power meter”—a way to guide training based on intuition, not just data.

They explore the importance of mental health in high-performance sports, how to fuel effectively for sprint races (hint: 225 grams of carbs in one bottle), and why creating space between your identity and achievements can unlock more joy and longevity in racing.

Whether you're chasing podiums or just trying to stay stoked through winter, this episode is packed with the wisdom, strategy, and soul of skimo. Let’s go!

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